It was a dear scoff to
Jock Matheson, when he called old Moll the uncannie carline of
Blawhooly: his boat ran round and round in the centre of the
Solway,--everybody said it was enchanted,--and down it went head
foremost: and had nae Jock been a swimmer equal to a sheldrake, he would
have fed the fish; but I'll warrant it sobered the lad's speech; and
he never reckoned himself safe till he made auld Moll the present of
a new kirtle and a stone of cheese."
"O father," said his grand-daughter Barbara, "ye surely wrong poor old
Mary Moray; what use could it be to an old woman like her, who has no
wrongs to redress, no malice to work out against mankind, and nothing
to seek of enjoyment save a cannie hour and a quiet grave,--what use
could the fellowship of fiends, and the communion of evil spirits, be
to her? I know Jenny Primrose puts rowan-tree above the door-head when
she sees old Mary coming; I know the good wife of Kittlenaket wears
rowan-berry leaves in the headband of her blue kirtle, and all for the
sake of averting the unsonsie glance of Mary's right ee; and I know
that the auld laird of Burntroutwater drives his seven cows to their
pasture with a wand of witch-tree, to keep Mary from milking them.
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